


Day Three Hundred Two: A Pile of Papers

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [302]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-21 05:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21294026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: D-ranks are SO beneath them...surely with all of Naruto's fuss, they'll get something better! ...right?
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Uchiha Sasuke
Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [302]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1235528
Kudos: 12





	Day Three Hundred Two: A Pile of Papers

“Man, this _stinks!_”

Three little genin stand just outside the administration building, awaiting the (as usual, late) arrival of their sensei. Sasuke leans coolly against the exterior, arms crossed with closed eyes as he appears to doze. Hinata sits nearby on a bench, looking prim as always with hands on her lap. And she’s currently watching Naruto stomp around and throw a bit of a fit.

“W-what stinks?” she asks, head tilting a bit. They’re about to get a new mission, after all...doesn’t he always look forward to them?

“This! The whole thing!” the blond proclaims, hands throwing up in the air. “Y’know the minute we get in there, we’re gonna get _another_ lame D-rank mission for babies! We’ve been training super hard with Kakashi-sensei, and for what? We’ve been doin’ D-rank assignments for weeks, and it’s gettin’ _real old!_”

“For once...I have to agree with Naruto,” Sasuke then admits, drawing both their gazes. Eyes open, he looks to them both mildly. “We’re more than ready for a _real_ mission. Walking dogs and doing yard work is beneath us. Even for Naruto, those are too easy.”

“Yeah -! Wait...what was that least part?” the Uzumaki asks, squinting.

A hint of a grin pulls at Sasuke’s lips. “You heard me, dead last. Take it as a compliment - it means that even _you_ need a better challenge than the missions we’ve been getting.”

“Tch!” Arms fold tightly over his chest, shoulders hunching with a pout.

“Well, we’ve a-all been doing a lot better,” Hinata cuts in as the pair go quiet. “Our teamwork especially! Surely if we work together we could...w-we could handle something a bit _tougher_ than what we _have_ been doing...right?”

“Exactly!” Naruto crows, sour mood just as quickly forgotten as it arrived. “So, when we go in there, we all gotta insist we get something better, okay? Maybe if we all ask - no, demand! - we’ll finally get listened to!”

“Well...it’s worth a shot,” Sasuke shrugs. He’s not one to beg or whine, but...maybe the only way they’ll get to advance in the mission roster is by being more vocal.

“O-okay!” The Hyūga gives a smile. “Maybe Kakashi-sensei will s-side with us, and help convince Sarutobi-sama!”

“He _did_ praise us last time we all trained,” Sasuke muses. “...maybe he will.”

“Maybe I’ll what?”

The trio then turn to spy none other than Kakashi, Naruto rushing up and blurting out his plan.

A silver brow perks. “You want to move up in ranks, do you…?”

“Yeah, yeah! We’re bored of all these D-ranks, Kakashi-sensei! Can’t we do something more _exciting_ for once…?”

“Hm…” He rubs a hand over his clothed chin. “So...you want a mission that’ll entertain you, is that it?”

“Yeah!”

“...missions aren’t about being entertained,” Kakashi then rebukes, making Naruto flinch. “They’re about doing what needs to be done. It’s not about having fun, or the rush, or getting to boast. Sooner or later, you’ll learn that missions are a lot more serious than you give them credit for.”

Further back, both Sasuke and Hinata seem to hesitate.

“Okay, okay!” Naruto admits. “I get it, really! But I mean...don’t you think we’re past doing the low level stuff? We’re ready, aren’t we? Don’tcha think?”

“Well...we’ll see what they have available,” Kakashi replies vaguely, not reacting as Naruto gives a whoop and a holler. “But I can’t make any promises...in the end, it’s up to the ones running the mission directory.”

Hinata wilts a hair as Naruto’s celebration earns the group odd looks from older shinobi, Sasuke just sighing curtly. “Come on, let’s get going,” he mutters. “Standing out here isn’t going to get us any missions either way.”

The squad then moves inside, taking the stairs to the proper level where Hiruzen and Iruka await with the day’s current roster of missions. Upon seeing them, Iruka starts scanning the D-ranks before offering one to Hiruzen.

“Ah, here we are...a local farm is looking for help with -”

“No way!”

The entire room stutters, looking to Naruto as he stubbornly forms an x with his arms. Kakashi deadpans, Sasuke’s eye twitching, and Hinata glancing nervously between her teammate and the Hokage.

“...excuse me?” Iruka then cuts in, standing and slapping hands atop the mission desk. “It’s not your place to make such remarks, especially in front of the Hokage!”

“I’m tired of stupid D-ranks! I want a _real_ shinobi mission! With bad guys and fighting and stuff!”

“Naruto, you -!”

Hiruzen lifts a hand, begging silence from his assistant. “So...you want a _real_ mission…?” he asks, leafing through a pile of papers. “And do you really think you’re prepared for such a thing?”

“Yeah, we are! We’ve all been training _super hard_ with Kakashi-sensei! He says we’re ready!”

The Hatake wilts a bit, clearly not wanting to be implicated.

“Naruto...you’re a new genin,” Hiruzen reminds the blond, chewing his pipe. “Our ranking systems for both missions and shinobi are in place to keep appropriately-leveled assignments to appropriately-leveled shinobi. Genin...get...D-ranks.”

Cheeks puffing, Naruto does the mature thing...and sinks to the floor, arms and legs folded.

His teammates both sigh.

Eyeing the boy, Hiruzen seems to think...and then chuckles. “...so, you think you’re ready for a _better_ mission…? All right...I’ll give you one. To prove yourselves.”

The trio blink...and then brighten.

“Wait, really?” Naruto hops back to his feet, blues wide.

“Yes. It just so happens that I have a mission from Nami no Kuni. A client is in need of some escorts and bodyguards as they make their way from here in Konoha back to Nami. It’s a basic C-rank...surely you could pull it off, hm?”

“Yeah! We can do it! Right guys?”

Sasuke just gives a small smirk, Hinata brightening.

“So who are we escorting, huh?” Naruto’s eyes go starry, fists bunched under his chin. “Is it like...a princess? A diplomat? Huh, huh?”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Kakashi mutters.

“Well, why don’t we just bring them in?” Hiruzen offers, still grinning as he gestures for the client to be fetched. “I’m sure you’re get along _splendidly_.”

The team turns, looking to the door into the room. After a pause, it slides open, and...reveals a man. In one hand he clutches a bottle, clearly already a bit sauced. A pack rests over his shoulders, outfit a bit dingy and expression clearly already annoyed.

“...are you serious?” he mutters, leaning against the door frame and swaying slightly. “Are you telling me that my guards back to Nami...are a couple of brats?”

The genin all turn to each other, unsure what to say.

“These three are led by the son of White Fang,” Hiruzen offers. “I assure you, for a C-rank mission, they’ll do just fine. It’s a simple escort, and not too far.”

The man’s jaw grits for a moment, which goes mostly unnoticed...save for Kakashi, whose eye narrows just a hair.

“Yeah, don’t worry mister! We’ll get ya there no problem!” Naruto crows proudly, hands on his hips.

“Like I’m gonna believe the words of a half-pint dimwit,” the man shoots back.

“Half...half-pint…?” Blinking, Naruto then grits his teeth in a snarl. “Hey! Height’s got nothin’ to do with it, you hear? I’m gonna be _Hokage_ someday, so you better watch what you say, y’old coot!”

Behind him, Iruka sighs and buries his brow in a palm, Hiruzen looking amused.

“Naruto, please _try_ not to insult your client,” Kakashi deadpans, biffing the blond upside the head.

“But he said -!”

“He’s paying you to keep him safe. He’s allowed to have his opinions...and judge how well of a job you do. If you mouth off, he might not pay as well. So...you should behave. A shinobi must have patience, even in the face of adversity. Even if the adversity is being insulted, hm?”

Naruto just harrumphs, arms folding tightly as his teammates sigh once more.

“Well, you lot better get going,” the Hokage offers, lips curled around his pipe. “The sooner you leave, the sooner Tazuna-san can return to his job building a bridge in Nami. Remember, you should be timely in your assignments.”

“Come on, Naruto,” Sasuke mutters, dragging the blond by the collar and following Tazuna out. “We’ve got a job to do - you were whining about doing D-ranks, so quit your complaining.”

Hinata follows, brow wilted uncertainly. “So...we have to take him all the way to Nami? Are there no shinobi there…?”

“No,” Kakashi offers, following his troupe. “Smaller lands like Nami have no resident shinobi force...and it’s from them many of the great shinobi villages get their business. So, best we make a good impression, hm? Now...you three go home, pack up gear for a trip of a few days, and meet back at the gate in twenty minutes. If you’re not there, we’ll leave without you.” He gives a closed-eye smile before flickering out of sight.

“...well, guess that’s our cue,” Sasuke mutters. “See you guys in twenty. And _don’t_ be late, Naruto.”

“Me? What about _you?_ I’ll be there in five minutes, just watch me!”

As the boys bicker, Hinata heaves yet another sigh. “Well...I-I’m going to get going...see you guys at the gate, okay?”

“Will do.”

“Yeah!”

**Author's Note:**

> More team seven!Hinata! Which...I've done a few previous parts for, but atm I don't have time to find the rest to list, so...whoops ^^; I haven't done TOO much, but once the year is over, I'll work on organizing things :''D
> 
> Anyway, just basically the scene leading to Nami, but with Hinata replacing Sakura! I reallllly like this concept, and honestly really need to RP it, lol - buuut that's really all there is to this one, so...I'll stop rambling there. Thanks for reading!


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